


Ornamentation

by Lise



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: (sort of), Anal Plug, Bottom Loki (Marvel), Dubious Consent, Ear Piercings, Extremely Dubious Consent, Loki's in over his head, M/M, Nipple Piercings, Painplay, Painting, Piercings, Sakaar (Marvel), Sub Loki (Marvel), Subspace, Wax Play, adventures in 'well I didn't think I'd write this kink but here I am', what a fun bunch of tags
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-14
Updated: 2018-06-14
Packaged: 2019-05-22 00:03:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14925555
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lise/pseuds/Lise
Summary: “Let’s play a game,” the Grandmaster said, smiling, walking his fingers up Loki’s arm. “Just a little...something fun. Bit of a challenge.”Loki glanced at him sidelong, a nervous prickle crawling down his spine. A different pull in his stomach. “Oh?”The Grandmaster's challenges are never as simple as they sound.





	Ornamentation

**Author's Note:**

> I can't even remember who inspired this one, but it was probably [led-lite](http://led-lite.tumblr.com). It usually is. Though I think this is a thing I just generally want, and apparently my journey into this pairing is basically the story of "how many new kinks can you write before the shame overcomes you" and, well, haven't gotten there yet. 
> 
> Anyway! As usual, this is _highly_ dubious with all the warnings that entails, and the kinks tagged above. 
> 
> And thanks to [Amelia](http://ameliarating.tumblr.com), the least judgmental beta a girl could ask for.

“Let’s play a game,” the Grandmaster said, smiling, walking his fingers up Loki’s arm. “Just a little...something fun. Bit of a challenge.”

Loki glanced at him sidelong, a nervous prickle crawling down his spine. A different pull in his stomach. “Oh?”

“Hmm-mm,” the Grandmaster said. “You know I like a challenge. And so do you. Right?”

“Of course,” Loki said, because he knew it was the right answer. “Can I ask what the challenge is, first?”

“It’s simple, really,” the Grandmaster said. “All you have to do is hold still.”

The hairs on the back of Loki’s neck rose. “Really,” he said. “That’s all?”

“Yep,” the Grandmaster said. “That’s all.” He leaned in close to whisper in Loki’s ear. “Of course, I’m going to be doing my best to make that _hard._ ”

Loki’s breathing snagged. “Should I ask how you plan to do that?”

“You can _ask,_ sweetheart,” the Grandmaster said, lips just brushing against his ear. “Doesn’t mean I’ll answer.”

“I guess I’ll just have to be surprised, then, won’t I,” Loki said. His voice sounded embarrassingly breathless. He felt the Grandmaster’s smile.

One of his hands slid to Loki’s thigh and squeezed. “I guess you will.”

* * *

Loki lay stretched out on the bed, naked with his hands at his sides, as he’d been instructed. The Grandmaster was puttering around the room, and Loki craned his neck, trying to see what he was doing.

“Ah, ah,” the Grandmaster said, wagging a finger at him. “No peeking, now.”

Loki turned his eyes back up toward the canopy. “You can’t blame me for being curious.”

“I _could,_ actually,” the Grandmaster said. “I could...blame you for a lot of things, if I wanted.” A nervous shiver crawled down Loki’s spine, and he flexed his fingers a little at his side.

“I suppose it’s good for me that you don’t,” he said.

“For sure,” the Grandmaster said, and came back into Loki’s field of vision. “For _sure._ Now, let’s...how’re we feeling? Comfortable?”

Loki smiled. “Quite. This bed is-”

“Good,” the Grandmaster said over him. “That means we can get _started._ You remember the rules, Lo?”

“Are there any, other than my having to hold still while you try to make me...not?”

“Nope! Nice and simple.” The Grandmaster’s nails dragged against the skin of his thigh. Loki wasn’t sure if they’d started already or not, but just in case he kept himself from twitching.

“I don’t believe you’ve said what happens if I win,” Loki said.

“What _happens?_ You want - oh, you want a _reward._ If you win. Of course, that means _I_ get something if you lose. All right, then. How does...10,000 credits sound?”

It wasn’t insignificant. Wasn’t necessarily _immediately_ useful, but there were a lot of things that could be done with money. “That sounds acceptable.”

“ _Acceptable,_ he says. As for me…” the Grandmaster’s fingernail drew a circle on Loki’s skin. “I don’t need _money._ How about if _I_ win I get to bring you to one of the parties on the Commodore wearing...umm. Nothing but a nice, sparkly, collar.”

Loki froze.

“Oh, yeah,” the Grandmaster said. “I like that. Let’s go with that.”

He couldn’t argue. When the Grandmaster had decided something - there was no arguing. _Even better incentive not to lose, then._ Loki swallowed hard. “Well,” he said. “I suppose we are agreed.”

“Marvelous,” the Grandmaster said. He bent over and kissed Loki soundly, licking deep into his mouth, and he felt the tingle of old magic on his tongue before he pulled away. “Let’s not dawdle, then. I don’t want you to get _bored._ ”

_I doubt that’s a danger,_ Loki thought grimly, but he just made himself smile. “That certainly _would_ be dreadful.”

“Wouldn’t it just.” The Grandmaster patted him lightly on the chest. “Let’s start with...ah, something to get you a little...warmed up. Up and over, sweetheart. Hands and knees.”

“I thought I was holding still,” Loki said, and started when the Grandmaster slapped his thigh, just hard enough to sting.

“Are you - that’s _cute,_ Lo-lo, but...not right now, I don’t think. Manners are important. Good manners. You know how that works, right, you being a prince and all?”

_That’s exactly why this shouldn’t be happening,_ Loki thought hazily, but he didn’t speak it. Scarcely dared think it. He pushed himself up and turned over, let the Grandmaster push him down, on his knees with his cheek pressed to the bedspread.

The Grandmaster pushed a single, slick, finger into him, and Loki gasped, just barely keeping himself from jerking forward. “Easy now,” he said, sounding like he was trying not to laugh. “We’re just going to - slide something up in there, keep you, ah, nice and open for later.”

Loki was still trying to catch his breath and adjust to the sudden intrusion, taking a moment to catch his breath. Or trying. It was a bit of a challenge, with the Grandmaster curling his finger with unerring precision to press _just_ right inside him, at the same time as his thumb rubbed circles behind his balls like he was trying to bring the two together. Loki started to squirm and made himself still.

“Good catch,” the Grandmaster said approvingly. “Wouldn’t want you to give up too quick, now. Let’s just-” He withdrew for a moment, replacing the first finger with two, working them into him. Not rushed, but with determined, implacable pressure, and Loki sucked in shallow breaths as he tried to adjust without moving or shifting to get more comfortable. The Grandmaster’s other hand caressed across his hip before his nails dug in and it was all Loki could do not to jump.

“You’re - hm, you’re drawing this out, aren’t you?” Loki managed to say, though his voice sounded a little too high. The Grandmaster laughed a little too loudly.

“Sure! I mean - obviously, right? I like to...take my time. With you especially, Lo, you’re _worth_ it.”

A warm flush ran down Loki’s spine to the small of his back. He shivered, though he tried to catch it, holding his breath - but apparently a shiver didn’t count as movement.

So that was something.

He pressed his face into the bed, pulling in a few deep breaths. “It occurs to me that I...should have asked what counts as a losing move.”

“Hmm.” The Grandmaster paused with his fingers buried inside Loki. “I think - I figured we’d both _know,_ hon. I didn’t think we’d be getting all - _nitpicky_ about it.”

“Of course not,” Loki said quickly. “I was just-” The Grandmaster’s fingers scissored apart, and he gasped, voice breaking off abruptly.

“I know, I know,” the Grandmaster said. “You can be so... _particular,_ sometimes. Which - well. It’s not _bad_ but sometimes you have to just...go with it.” His fingers curled and Loki quivered as an almost painful current of pleasure passed through him. “Know what I mean?”

“Yes,” Loki said quickly.

“Good! Glad to hear that. Enough of this - this _boring_ stuff, though.” He withdrew his hand again, patting the curve of Loki’s ass. “Now. Tempting to, uh...well, you’re right _there._ ” His hand crawled down between Loki’s legs, tugging his balls down. Loki hissed, his cheeks flaring as his half-hard cock twitched. “But I think...I think we’ll wait. Yeah?”

Loki wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or...not. He did know that the Grandmaster’s idly toying with his balls was making it hard to focus on what he was saying, but when he stopped he let out an involuntary whine of protest.

The Grandmaster laughed. “Oh, man. Already wound up, huh? So _sensitive,_ you’re just - you’re such a _treasure._ And I’m going to make sure you...look like one.”

“What do you - _ha._ ” The push of something hard - not flesh - into him startled Loki into breaking off. It was slender at first, but Loki could feel it widening as the Grandmaster worked the plug inside him, stretching him past the point he’d been prepared.

“You should see this,” the Grandmaster said, pressing it deeper in. “You should _really -_ your body just swallows it right up. You were really - your pretty ass was just - mm, made to take this, yeah?”

Loki’s face burned and he was glad he wasn’t _looking_ at the Grandmaster. _You were made to take this._ The heaviness of his cock, the desire to push back and demand more, suggested maybe the Grandmaster wasn’t wrong.

He stopped, the plug apparently fully inside - _deep_ inside, and Loki could feel his body clenching and squeezing reflexively around it, his panting loud in his ears.

“ _Good,_ ” the Grandmaster said. “Very good. How’s that feel?”

“Ah - feels…” Loki searched for a word, only to cry out when the Grandmaster rubbed his fingers against the base such that it - wobbled inside him. He almost pushed his hips back, but managed again to catch himself. “Full,” he managed, when he could talk again.

“Mmhm. Good. That’s going to...we’re just going to leave that there so I can, when we’re ready, I can, can just... _well._ Get in you, you know.”

Loki nodded. “I see the idea,” he said. The strain in his voice was audible.

“Of course you do! You’re a - such a _clever_ boy.” A little shiver ran down Loki’s spine again and he squeezed his eyes closed. “So now that _that’s..._ squared away, we can really get _started._ ”

Loki couldn’t help a startled, almost incredulous laugh. “What was this?” He asked. The Grandmaster patted his ass.

“Just preparation, obviously,” he said. “Come on, Lo-lo. Keep up.”

Loki took a deep breath, forcing his eyes open again. “Yes,” he said weakly. “Of course. I...should have realized.”

“It’s all right,” the Grandmaster said, all indulgence. “Now. Over again, let’s have you on your back, that’ll - that’ll do it…”

Loki rolled over, bitterly, resentfully, and entirely without protest. He gasped a little as the plug inside him shifted, his exhale hissing out between his teeth. The Grandmaster beamed at him as he climbed over Loki, straddling his thighs, running his thumbs along Loki’s hipbones.

“Gorgeous,” he said. “Just _gorgeous,_ ” and Loki’s eyelids fluttered for the pleasurable warmth that welled up in his stomach. “Honestly,” the Grandmaster said. “I just _love..._ looking at you. Regular work of art, you are, sweet thing. So I just thought I’d...you know. Add some further _embellishments._ ” He leaned over toward the bedside table, planting one hand on Loki’s chest to balance, and came back with a jar of blue...paint, Loki guessed. Blue paint.

“Beautiful color,” the Grandmaster said. “Matches my nails. And I think blue - _suits_ you. Don’t you think so, Lo-lo?”

Loki felt his eyes widen, wondering if - no, he must be imagining things. There was no way the Grandmaster could know. Absolutely not. “If you say so,” he said, after a long moment.

“I’m _always_ right.” He set the jar on Loki’s stomach. “Now,” he said. “Can you hold still while I make you my masterpiece?”

“That’s the challenge, isn’t it?” Loki said, trying to summon a smile.

“So it is,” the Grandmaster said. “So it is.”

The paint was cold on his skin where the Grandmaster drew a line down his sternum. Loki’s skin shivered a little under his touch, but it wasn’t hard to hold still for that, and he let out a breath, relaxing a little. If that was all…

He realized quickly that it wasn’t going to be that simple.

The Grandmaster painted lightly, fingers just brushing over Loki’s skin and leaving tingling skin in their wake. Drawing lines up along his collarbones, three stripes on the side of his neck painted one at a time, a circle just around each of his nipples. He moved the jar off Loki’s stomach and painted curving lines tracing his ribs, every touch leaving his skin more sensitive.

Then he shifted down Loki’s legs and dipped both his thumbs, dragging them over Loki’s hipbones again but this time leaving stripes of paint behind, pointing downward toward his half-hard cock.

“Hmm,” the Grandmaster said, pausing, fanning his fingers out over Loki’s stomach. “Let’s see, here. I think just a little…”

He wrapped a hand loosely around Loki’s cock, dipping the thumb of his other hand in paint and dragging it across the head of his cock, leaving a smear of blue behind. Loki gasped, eyes closing, and started to arch only to catch himself. His cock jerked in the Grandmaster’s hand, and the Grandmaster made a pleased humming sound. The next drag of his thumb painted a line down the underside of his cock, stopping at his balls and _pressing_ and Loki clenched his fists so he didn’t twitch, didn’t move.

The Grandmaster chuckled as he pulled away. “Oh, Loki,” he purred, sounding approving. “You _are..._ committed. I was worried you were going to make this easy.”

“I don’t make anything easy,” Loki said, his voice more than slightly breathless. The Grandmaster laughed, dragging his hands down Loki’s thighs before picking up the paint again.

“No,” he said. “You _sure_ don’t. That’s part of what makes you so much fun.”

* * *

One thing that could be said for the Grandmaster without question: he was thorough.

He painted blue lines down the tops of his thighs, added curling flourishes around his knees, and continued on downward. Even the lightest touch began to make his nerves tingle, and his breathing was uneven and unsteady. His cock, smeared with blue paint from the Grandmaster’s periodic attentions, leaked steadily onto his stomach, never touched enough.

When the Grandmaster stopped, sitting up and pulling his hands away, Loki moaned. The Grandmaster hummed, sounding delighted.

“Gorgeous,” he said. “Just gorgeous. And you...holding up like a _champ,_ aren’t you? Powering along, and I was worried this was going to be too _easy_ and I wouldn’t get to step two.”

Loki blinked, struggling to focus glazed eyes. “Step two?”

“Mmhm,” the Grandmaster said, trailing his fingers over Loki’s sides. “You didn’t think we were _done,_ did you? Just a little paint and...oh no, a canvas like you deserves more. And I’m going to...ah, make sure you get what you deserve.”

_What I deserve,_ Loki thought, a little wildly. _What do you know about what I deserve?_

“And with you so, hm, sensitive...that’s just going to make it even better. More... _intense._ You like intense, don’t you? How does that sound, honeybunch?”

One right answer. “Good,” he exhaled. “I’m...ready.”

“Of course you are, sweet thing,” the Grandmaster said. “You’re always ready for anything.” He reached across to the bedside table again and brought over a red candle, remarkably familiar looking on this strange planet. “So,” he said. “Pause on the ‘no moving’ rule for just a minute - can you light this for me?”

Loki felt his eyes widen. “Ah,” he said. “I don’t...do very well with fire.”

“With - oh, no, sweetheart!” The Grandmaster laughed. “I’m not going to _burn_ you. That’d be - goodness, so _unsightly._ We’re talking wax. Multimedia. I’ll have to, mm, come up with a good _title_ for you.” He tapped the candle. “So. Got a light?”

Loki licked his lips, his heartbeat picking up a little, the foggy feeling burning off. But he reached up and touched his fingers to the wick, pulling his fingers quickly back from the flame. “Perfect,” the Grandmaster said. “Marvelous. Now let’s just...I’m serious about that title, though. As pretty a picture as you...I should, um, have a replica made. Or something. We can call it...what do you think?”

“I don’t…” Loki watched the candle, the bead of melted wax starting to form. He swallowed hard. “I would think - the creator would choose.”

“Ooh, I like that. _The Creator._ If I didn’t already have such a great name…”

The Grandmaster tipped the candle, fractionally. Loki froze, holding his breath, the wax seeming to spill in slow motion.

It splashed against his chest like a spark, burning for a moment. His body started to jump and he only just caught himself, pressing back into the bed. He managed to do no more than quiver, though somehow the second drop felt hotter, his skin tightening in anticipation, nerves already sensitized firing almost before the wax hit.

A few drops dribbled into the hollow of his throat and Loki heard himself let out a high sound, almost a yip. He tensed his whole body so he didn’t twist away, digging his fingers into the blankets.

“Ooh,” the Grandmaster said. “Oh, _my._ This is...we’ll have to come back to this sometime, I think.”

Loki took a couple of shallow breaths, his eyes still fixed on the candle. “I’d rather…”

“Ah,” the Grandmaster said, “I hope that sentence wasn’t going to end with _not._ ” He lowered the candle closer to skin so he could feel the heat of the flame, no spaces between the droplets that fell across his stomach, red over the blue paint and he jerked with each spark of heat, muscles winding tighter and tighter until he was almost shaking with the tension. The Grandmaster paused, running his finger across the solidified trail he’d left, and Loki shivered, eyelids fluttering.

“See?” He said. “I told you. _Intense._ ” Loki took a few gasping breaths.

“Yes,” he managed. “In...indeed.”

“Not done yet,” the Grandmaster said, smiling, and brought the candle lower, spilling wax above his hipbones. Muscle snapped taut and Loki keened, something stuttering in his brain. He closed his eyes, breathing shallowly and fast, then opened them just as quickly, afraid of not knowing.

“You’re, uh, sensitive to heat, hm?” The Grandmaster said. “That’s...interesting. I’ll have to, _ha._ Remember that.” One of his hands slipped between Loki’s legs, fondling his balls. “Would you...how would it feel _here,_ do you think?”

Loki sucked in a breath and almost jerked up, pulled away, said _no, don’t._ He managed to stop himself, biting down hard on his lower lip. “I have...no idea,” he said, voice trembling. The Grandmaster smiled at him, sly and a little dark.

“Would you _like_ to find out?”

_No,_ Loki wanted to scream. _No, I don’t,_ but he didn’t think it was a real question, and if the Grandmaster decided _he_ wanted…

He shook. The Grandmaster laughed. “You should see your _face._ Okay, okay. Fun for another time. Right now…”

Wax spilled over his leg, down his inner thigh. His body clenched taut, the plug inside him suddenly pressing in a way that send a jolt up his spine so for a moment he rocked between the sharp burn of the wax and the pulse of pleasure. He could feel little, uncontrollable, shivers running through him, head to toe, and his thoughts were starting to go...strange. Stuttering.

“Just wait until I peel this all off later,” the Grandmaster murmured, thumbs caressing so it was all Loki could do not to spread his legs and arch his hips, his cock taking an interest again as each tightening of his body pushed him up toward his peak, as each drop of wax drove him further out of his head. “You won’t _believe_ how it feels. You’re going to love it.”

“Am I?” Loki said, feeling a little dizzy.

“Absolutely,” the Grandmaster said. “You’re loving _this,_ aren’t you?”

Loki shivered. Drops of wax spattered on his chest, close enough to his nipples to make him yelp. He swallowed several times, convulsively.

“ _Aren’t_ you?” The Grandmaster said.

“I’m…” It was hard to think. His heart seemed to be beating too loudly in his ears. But he knew what he was meant to say. “Yes,” he whispered.

“ _Good_ boy,” the Grandmaster said, and Loki felt himself shiver with pleasure like a dog patted on the head. There was a peculiar ache in his belly, like lust but not quite. And he couldn’t quite...focus.

“Grandmaster,” he said, but the rest of the sentence got lost somewhere between his brain and his mouth.

“I _like_ hearing you say my name,” the Grandmaster said. “You could do that more often, you know.” He paused. “Now...now. I could keep going, but I’m feeling maybe...a _little_ impatient, and you’re looking like...well, you’re looking like you might call it quits sooner than I thought.”

Loki’s eyes snapped open. “I’m not - calling quits.”

“Shh,” the Grandmaster said, laying a finger on his lips. “I didn’t say you were going to _lose._ No. But I’ve got a _vision,_ here, and I really... _really_ want to see it through. Like I said. Art. Can’t leave a masterpiece unfinished, hmm?”

Loki licked his lips. “I...suppose not. How are you planning to finish this one?”

“Well,” the Grandmaster said. “I’ve got blue, and red...just missing some gold. So I figured you could use some, ah...new jewelry.”

A quiver of anxiety pulsed in Loki’s stomach, twisting with that vague, strange, feeling hovering just on the edge of arousal. “Oh?”

The Grandmaster held up a small gold ring, a bead of red like a drop of blood on one side. “Your ears,” he said. “They just look so _naked._ ”

Loki stopped breathing, just for a second. “And you want...to correct that.”

“Sure do,” the Grandmaster said. Once he could make himself, Loki took several shallow breaths. He imagined how the needle would feel going through his flesh. How that gold ring would look with its drop of blood. The permanence of it.

Wax would peel away, and paint would wash off. But Loki doubted he would be removing those earrings as long as the Grandmaster held the power. And he was beginning to fear that might be longer than he’d hoped.

It wasn’t just a piercing. And he couldn’t refuse.

“I thought about something bigger,” the Grandmaster said. “Dangly. But I figured...start a little smaller, hm? Don’t want to overdo it.”

Loki wanted to laugh, but he knew it would come out hysterical. His heartbeat thudded in his stomach.

Some part of him was...curious. Some part of him even shivered _pleasurably_ at the thought of being so marked, warring with the horror, the two of them tangling together in some bizarre, indecipherable emotion. His blood was thick in his veins, and Loki was strangely...helpless.

The Grandmaster set the earrings aside and picked up a needle that glinted in the light. “It’ll only take a moment,” he said. “And remember...you’re holding still. Right? You move...well. You don’t want to lose _now,_ do you?”

“No,” Loki said faintly. “Not particularly.” A shiver ran through him, head to toe, and he just managed not to squirm.

“There’s a good boy,” the Grandmaster said, beaming, and despite himself Loki felt a warm glow of satisfaction. He touched a hand to Loki’s jaw, pressing gently. “Turn your head just a little - that’s it, now-”

Loki let out a little gasp when the Grandmaster pressed the needle in and through, hot pain spreading out from the piercing itself. His exhale was unsteady, uneven. The quality of the pain itself wasn’t what he’d imagined: not like being stabbed, but something deeper, lower, almost aching, and he could feel himself going limp in its grip.

“Gorgeous,” the Grandmaster was saying, replacing the needle with the earring itself. “I can’t _wait_ for you to see how...how these look, I’ll get you a few other pairs - this is just a starting place, you know. The sky’s the limit, we could…” He traced a finger lightly over the shell of Loki’s ear. “All the say along here, little gold rings. Maybe not...just the ears, either, plenty of real estate left...well. Later, for now...how’re we doing?”

“Good,” Loki said, though what he felt mostly was...strange. He didn’t know how to quantify it more than that. His earlobe throbbed, in time with his heartbeat.

“Perfect,” the Grandmaster said. “Other one, then. Don’t want you to be _lopsided,_ do we?”

“Of course not,” Loki said.

“Of course not,” the Grandmaster echoed. “Now, turn…”

Turning his head put pressure on his fresh piercing and Loki made a small, sharp sound, falling still. The Grandmaster clicked his tongue. “Oh dear,” he said. “Sensitive, of course. I wasn’t even _thinking…_ ” He reached out, fingers brushing the earring, and Loki squeezed his eyes closed.

“That - I, that hurts-”

“Shh,” the Grandmaster said, hand moving to caress Loki’s jaw, to rub his thumb across Loki’s lips. “Not too bad, right? Just a little - you can take this. Can’t you, sweetheart?”

Loki blinked at him, a disorienting wave of dizziness rolling through him. “I…”

“Let me show you,” the Grandmaster said, and urged Loki’s head to the side, holding him there as he slid the needle through his other earlobe. Loki’s eyes closed and his breathing hitched, quivering with tension. There was an intense heat, seated low in his belly, that pulsed along with his heart and his ears, something...not quite arousal. Adjacent to it, maybe. Equally overwhelming.

“ _There,_ ” the Grandmaster said, apparently finished. “ _Love_ ly. Don’t - don’t forget to breathe, though, hmm?”

Loki hadn’t realized he’d stopped. His exhale rushed out of his lungs, sucking in the next few breaths like he was starving for oxygen. His head felt full of fog, and he stared at the Grandmaster, who was somehow managing to remain clear as glass.

“How’re you feeling?” He asked solicitously.

Loki swallowed several times before he managed to say, “it’s...intense.”

“I bet! You sure look like...still with me? Hm? Not calling it?”

Was he? _Could_ he? Loki shook his head, and the Grandmaster beamed.

“You’re doing...just great,” the Grandmaster said. “Really. Such a good _sport._ I think...I think just one more thing. One last little detail to...finish the picture.” Loki stared up at him, still a little dazed.

“What’s that?”

The Grandmaster tweaked one of Loki’s nipples between thumb and forefinger. “These,” he said. Loki blinked, and he smiled. “I mean. Ears are nice, but while we’re _here…_ ”

Oh, Loki realized, dazedly. A chill went through him. “You want to…”

“I’m _going_ to,” the Grandmaster said. “Just a little, a little…” He reached over and held up a gleaming silver bar. On either end, glittering blue stones. “See? Perfect, right?”

Loki licked his lips nervously. “I wasn’t expecting…”

“Of course you weren’t. I wanted to surprise you. You’re so adorable when you’re surprised.” The Grandmaster ran his thumb lightly across Loki’s nipple. “You’re going to look just _gorgeous,_ ” he said.

Loki’s breathing quickened, quivered. He just managed to hold himself still. “I don’t know if,” he said faintly. The Grandmaster laid a finger on his lips.

“ _You_ don’t know,” he said. “But _I_ do.”

Loki felt his eyelids flutter, and shivered, just barely.

“Oh,” the Grandmaster said. “Was that - was that movement?”

“No,” Loki said quickly. That should have been fine. It’d been fine _before._ “No, I can…”

“Good,” the Grandmaster said. “I’d just _hate_ to stop now.” He reached over and swabbed the skin with something cool and damp, humming under his breath, and produced a long needle. Loki stared at it, his mouth going dry. The Grandmaster smiled at him and set the needle to skin.

Loki sucked in a breath and held it, closing his eyes.

“Hey,” the Grandmaster said, giving his chest a light slap. “Eyes open, sweetheart.”

Loki forced his eyes open, shaking. The Grandmaster pushed the needle through in one smooth movement, perfectly horizontal.

He paused, and leaned back. The pain didn’t hit immediately. When it did, the breath exploded out of Loki’s lungs and it was all he could do not to whimper, his nerves throbbing with a deep _ache_ that seemed to spread out across his chest.

The Grandmaster pulled the needle out and pushed the bar in. Loki heard himself make a thin, high, whine, his muscles clenching all at once but that only made the skin _tug_ against metal and he was shaking, helpless, something in him rapidly unraveling. The Grandmaster had found a loose thread and was pulling on it, and Loki could feel himself coming undone.

“ _Love_ ly,” the Grandmaster said, his voice seeming to come from very far away. “That’s one. Just, ah...we-ell. I love it.” His fingers pressed down on Loki’s nipple and he yelped, body jerking before he forced himself to still. “Mm. Yes. I like this.”

Loki stared at him, feeling - pinned. Frozen.

“Ready for number two?”

_No,_ Loki thought wildly. “Yes,” said his voice, sounding hazy and faint.

“That’s the spirit,” the Grandmaster said warmly, and Loki felt a flood of warmth, sinking into the bed. The Grandmaster gave his nipple a light pinch, this time, and Loki heard himself moan. Then the damp swab, cleaning the skin. The touch of the needle.

He watched it slide in this time, smooth through his skin, passing out the other side. This time the pain felt warm. He sank into it, his body going limp with a shuddering sigh.

“Very nice,” the Grandmaster cooed. “Very, _very_ nice. You were just _made_ for this, weren’t you?”

“Yes,” Loki said. He shook when the Grandmaster pulled the needle out and replaced it with the bar. His chest heaved. The Grandmaster flicked his fingers against the piercing and Loki cried out, trembling uncontrollably. Heat rolled through him in waves. He felt - pulled apart. Broken.

His body sang.

“Look at _you,_ ” the Grandmaster said, his voice warm and delighted. “Oh, man. Oh, that’s just...well. How’s that feel, sweet thing?”

“I don’t know,” Loki said. His exhale came out something like a sob. “I don’t-”

“Shh,” the Grandmaster said. “Shhh, you’re fine, you’re...you’re fine, darling. Just _relax._ ”

He went limp, blinking rapidly. He still couldn’t stop shaking.

“I was going to...well, I was thinking that we’d, um, finish off with a bit of...but I think we’ll just sit with this for a bit, hm? Just...that little toy will hold you open for me, and then later we’ll...I think we’ll take you around, show off your new jewelry, hm? How’s that sound?”

Loki was dimly aware that he was nodding. He didn’t think he _could_ do anything else. He knew the wounds must have healed already, but he could still feel the ache, ears and nipples unbearably sensitive.

“That’s a good boy,” the Grandmaster said fondly, patting the center of his chest. The paint had dried, and was starting to itch. “And look how well you did! You won the challenge. Aren’t you just - so happy?”

Loki didn’t know that he was. He wasn’t sure _what_ he was feeling. But he knew there was a right answer, and he wanted to give the right answer. “Yes,” he whispered.

“That’s what I like to hear,” the Grandmaster said, smiling. Always smiling.


End file.
